Beloved Prisoner
by Maiden of Memories
Summary: He couldn't let her go. ::Naminé x Replica::


**Beloved Prisoner**

He was everywhere and no where. His dark laugh echoed down the empty hallways, up up up the blank stairs, and into the furthest room on the highest floor. Even there she couldn't escape him.

Never-ending tears sprung from Naminé's eyes so that her hands worked over-time to wipe them away. She couldn't afford to have her vision blurry. She had to see. To know what was happening. But that thought only made her cry harder.

"No, no, stop it. Just stop it!" she told herself. Then his laugh surrounded her and she silenced. She looked up, the room was dark, she saw a flicker of silver. A blink, and it was gone.

Why was he still here?

No, he wasn't. That was stupid. The Replica was dead. Axel had told her so. She was going crazy.

Another flash of silver at the end of the room. She stood up, hands shaking. It was just moonlight. She had to stay calm. It was ridiculous to keep making herself paranoid like this. There was nothing there. It was all in her head.

"…Naminé"

The voice was smooth, dark. It rippled around her, she couldn't locate it. He was everywhere. And again he laughed at her helplessness.

"W-where are you..?" she murmured.

"I'm right here."

This time his voice was whispered directly into her ear. She could feel his breath hit her skin and shuddered, spinning around to find no one there. Her hand clutched at where her heart should be. She could barely breathe.

"No," she said, fingers pressed to her temples. "You're not here. You're gone."

"Am I?"

This time she saw his silhouette, it emerged from the corner of the room, towering over everything else. It flickered there for a moment then vanished and reappeared on the other side of the room. It sighed.

"You did this to me, you know."

It disappeared again, and materialized by the window, barely touching the light. Her eyes followed its every movement, terrified, wide open.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Everything. I did everything for you. I wanted you to acknowledge me. But you never did…"

Desperately, the girl cried out.

"How could I? I was confused! I-I didn't know what to do…"

"It's okay. I doubt I'd talk to a fake either."

His words were like icicles stabbing at her. She bowed her head.

"But now that'll all change."

He laughed, his shadow multiplying until there were several of them surrounding her, pressing closer.

"This time you'll _have_ to acknowledge me."

"W-what?"

She shook her head and stumbled back- straight into his arms.

She froze. His arms- real – snaked around her, holding her up. His chin rested on her shoulder.

"I came back for you, Naminé" he purred against her ear. One gloved hand held hers, as he tenderly brought it up to his lips. She couldn't see him, she just felt him there. Her eyes were glued to the wall in front of her. She wasn't breathing. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Naminé," he tsked, pulling her closer, "is that any way to greet an old friend?"

Her lips parted, her voice was barely audible, quieter than a whisper, a mere breath.

"You… you're… you're dead."

"I'm a ghost. The ghost of your guilt. A reminder of your fall from grace. You can't forget what you did to me, Naminé. How you fooled me, manipulated me. I gave up everything for you. Even the afterlife. And now I'm here to haunt you… forever."

He tilted her head up, and she finally saw his tortured blue-green eyes, like waves crashing. A whirlpool of anger and sadness and betrayal and _love._ His gaze softened, looking upon her frightened face.

"I love you, Naminé. I'll love you forever."

- x – x – x –

And he did love her forever. He kept her in that tower always and whispered gentle words to her. Smothering her with sweet and obsessive affection. She was the only thing he had. And he couldn't, wouldn't let her go. No one dared to go near them anymore, all who tried to take his precious Naminé were met with the tip of his blade. And so she was trapped there, loved, crying her eyes out, as he tried to kiss away her tears. His beloved prisoner.


End file.
